House Divided
by The Second Joker
Summary: The Human-Covenant War is over, but does that mean there will be a lasting peace? Story told in two viewpoints. This is my first story, so please be cautious. I'll post up more chapters later.  CHAPTER 2 IS NOW UP!
1. Chapter 1

House Divided Chapter 1: A Simple Spar

His name was Ince Lethor, a Sanghielio soldier-in-training, and my best friend. I called him Quincy for short. Seeing as it sounded better, well, to me anyway. We were in my backyard, and I was helping him spar. I had to say, he was quick, agile, and most of all, powerful. It was a miracle I could keep up with him. We were using UNSC practice batons, medium-sized plastic rods that came in red or blue, which I got from my Dad's closet. I tried a horizontal swing at him, but he ducked and jabbed me right in my gut. Had it been a real Energy Sword, I'd have been dead. Either way it hurt. I bent down on both knees and coughed up the spit building up in my mouth. Quincy laughs, "Come on Atlas, get up." I guess I should have introduced myself. Hi, my name is Atlas Forge, grandson of John Forge and son of Carter Forge. I know in the history books, it'll say that my granddad had no sons, but he kept my Dad a secret. Just like my Dad had kept me a secret. The year is 2615, the Human-Covenant War has been over for decades, but the only Covenant race we were able to secure a peace treaty with were the Kig-Yar, who we trade with regularly, and the Sanghieli, who we fight alongside with. With help from both races, we were able to repair the damage succumbed on Madrigal, Harvest, and Reach. We have renamed them, Unum, a thriving Human-Sanghelio governed planet, Unum-2; a young planet only established a couple years ago, and Unum-3, a practical baby-colony that was just colonized once again a few months ago. The Sanghieli were great engineers and soldiers, helping us restore order and buildings in this thriving colony. Some though, still cannot bear the sight of these fellow citizens. "That was a lucky shot." I rebutted. Quincy laughed again. It was weird, the Sanghieli never took off their armor, what he was wearing right now, practice armor, was just a thinned-out Elite minor uniform. "Come on, let's go again." He replied. I agreed. And Round 2 started. I first came at him with a jab, which he back-flipped away from. I took this advantage to run up to him during his flip and get him with a horizontal swipe across his headpiece. Unscathed, he tried a fast leg sweep as a counter-attack. I jumped over the leg, but he predicted as such and jumped, getting me on the helmet of my UNSC practice gear, which was basically my Dad's old Marine outfit, with a Pele kick. I bent down on both knees once again, but once he hit ground, I took the opportunity to grab him by the neck with my baton and into a sleeper hold. Not one to give in, he flipped me over his shoulder and tried to dig his baton into my chest, but I batted it away and dug mine right into his chin. I got up and tried to go in for the killing-blow. I roared and, like a sword, I held my baton, ready to impale him. He saw right through it. In one quick motion, he got out of his dizzy stupor and swung his baton down onto the back my head. I fell, and he dug his baton into my back. Dazed and hurt, I said, "All right I give." Without looking, I knew he had a smile on his face when he said, "Great! I need to go home now anyway."


	2. Chapter 2

**House Divided Chapter 2: Approval**

**A/N: This is the second entry in my story and, what do you know, it's been nearly a month since the first part. Yay, I'm sufficient! Anyway, this is in the viewpoint of Ince and you get a glimpse of his life at home. Please review. I need them.**

After taking my Banshee, and using the tiny Slipspace drive my father gave me when I enrolled in my training academy, back home, I landed it on a flat piece of rock. I got out and then I entered my home, a full-on Sanghieli- designed mansion, which was located at a far off sector in Unum 2. At the doorway was a stone wall that looked uneven with the purple felt wall covering the entire keep. On this wall there was a rectangular, gold, plaque in Sanghelio writing that read in English "_This plaque is to commemorate the honorable Lethor bloodline." _All along the wall were names of so many descendants of my bloodline written in their blood. And on the background carved in with an Energy Sword was our insignia, an Energy Sword with two roughly drawn hands symmetrical to each other, suspended in a wanting motion. Hovering over the sword. On the far right corner, on the bottom of all the other names in the row, was my father's name, Reik Lethor. As I rounded the corner, I came across a long spiraling staircase in the center of the living quarter, a stairway that led to my father's private study. My father was of the Major rank who ruled his troops with an iron fist. He was never known to be compassionate and, before the War ended; left all the enemy troops dead, even if he had to kill them himself. He took time off to study human military tactics and took it upon himself to teach me of these tactics as well as the traditional Sanghieli tactics.

As I climbed up the metal staircase, a sense of fear rushed over me. My father hated humans. Even with the lasting peace looming, he did not trust them. They had killed many of his comrades, and he killed theirs in response. He didn't like that I was friends with Atlas, but I couldn't help it. I owed Atlas, and he owed me. We were friends by unpaid gratitude. Even so, he forbade me from sparring him, but I was too clever. I snuck out and sparred with him anyway, all the while learning human customs. Pretty soon I became, as Humans put it, like family to him. So as long as I covered my tracks, I could still see him. But it left an impending sense of doom and fear of my father discovering. But that all swept from my mind as I reached the last stair and saw my father looking out at the stars. "Hello Father." I greeted him. Without looking at me he sternly replied, "Where have you been?"

"Out at Unum 1."

"I see…..and just what were you doing there?"

"I was looking for other Sanghieli to spar with."

And with the grace and speed off a war-hardened veteran he faced me dead-on and grabbed my right arm and asked me behind grinded teeth, "Then why….. do you have….. the blood …of a **human **on you?" I was caught. I must have forgotten to get it off me after my spar with Atlas. Not knowing how to reply, I just stared at him. He finally let go of my arm and slowly walked back to his original spot. After long moments of silence, he finally asked me, "It's his blood, isn't it?" Acting dumbfounded, I asked, "Whose blood?" He snapped his head back in my direction, "The boy's."

"You mean Atlas?"

"Don't say his name! Humans shouldn't have the privilege of names. Names are a code of honor, and pride. Not something that should just be given out at birth."

"Father, he means you no harm. He's just a friend-"

"Friends with a human? How dare you?"

"Father, there is nothing wrong with them, they are just like us."

"THEY ARE NOTHING LIKE US! The only reason I put up with that boy is because he has made you into a better warrior! Nothing else!"

"So, you shall respect him?"

"….."

"Father?"

After what seemed like ages, my father finally replied, "Tomorrow morning, you will come with me to the carrier, Quest for Peace. I will set you up with one of my best men. If you beat him, I will (he pauses, then says) _respect _the boy's **fighting skills**. But that is all."

Before he could change his mind, I thanked him, descended down the stairs and into my room. After a long stressful day, I laid on my bed made of bamboo and the pillow of Moa feathers, and I laid my head down to rest.

**A/N: Well that's the end of that chapter, longer than the other one I know. But that's to compensate for the short first chapter. It's intense and gloomy. But that's what you get for clicking it. Alright, I think I'll take a break right now. See ya!**

**PS: Expect **_**two**_** chapters up next month.**


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